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All posts tagged Alan Keyes

A man named Gary Kreep—a prominent birther and right-wing Christian in California—may become a Superior Court judge in San Diego County. With about 13,500 votes left to count, he and his opponent,Garland Peed, are separated by a few hundred votes (out of about 400,000 cast), with Kreep currently holding the edge.

Kreep is the Executive Director of a right-wing nut group called the United States Justice Foundation, which has lately attempted to convince courts that President Obama is not our legitimate leader.

Mr. Kreep recently failed to convince the U.S. Supreme Court to take seriously a case brought by the reactionary freak Alan Keyes and other assorted kooks, but he may have been successful in convincing enough voters in San Diego County to take him seriously as a judge.

All of which makes the roughly 200,000 voters who voted for Kreep creeps themselves.

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Meanwhile, speaking of creeps and right-wing Christians, the popular website WorldNetDaily (WND), the flagship of a flaky fleet of Obama-haters and birthers, is promoting this:

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – WND-TV will provide gavel-to-gavel, live video coverage of the latest challenge to Barack Obama’s constitutional eligibility in a courtroom hearing that could deny him ballot access to this all-important electoral swing state in November…The hearing will focus on Obama’s claim to be a “natural born citizen,” as required under Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution.

You see, even if Obama were really born in Hawaii (and God knows he wasn’t), he’s still illegitimate because he was “not born to two citizen parents.” Tune in on Monday, June 18, at 9 a.m. Eastern and find out if Obama can really call himself “President” Obama or must refer to his lying self as “the black man illegitimately and temporarily sitting in the White’s House waiting for that rich white guy to take it back.”

To give you an idea of the mentality of the fans of WND, here is a headline from about a month ago:

The founder of WND is a man named Joseph Farah, an evangelical Christian allegedly with Jesus-love in his heart for everyone—except our phony president. Farah, who has helped Rush Limbaugh write his book-form trash, has nothing but a heart full of hate for Mr. Obama and particularly is focused on Obama’s right to be president of the United States.

But Farah also has a heart full of hate for our culture. In response to a question about how he protects his five homeschooled daughters, he said the following in 2003:

Don’t scan the radio. Don’t even turn on the television. The whole culture has become so degraded that there’s no escaping it outside the home. So we work at home, we school at home, we do everything at home. We still have to go get the groceries and go to the bank, that sort of thing. If you follow our example you will be insulted from time to time, but at least you will minimize the consequences of cultural poisoning for your children…

We try to teach our children to be rebels. That is what Christian, moral people are in our society today, like it or not. Most Christians and other moral people don’t like it. Most of them don’t think of themselves in that way and few truly are rebels. But I think we need to be. That’s one of the things I advocate in this book: a whole new orientation of mind.

And forget this idea of being conservative. It’s too late to be conservative. To be conservative in a society that’s become as degraded as ours has become means settling for what we see all around us. I don’t want to settle for that. That’s not good enough for my kids. I want better. I want to go on the offensive.

Well, apparently these days reorienting the Christian mind and going on the offensive involves undermining the legitimacy of President Obama, even if doing so violates the very scripture that people like Mr. Farah say they trust and revere. Here speaketh Paul the Apostle in Romans, Chapter 13, verse 1:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Undoubtedly, the meaning of that text would also include President Barack Hussein Obama, but, in a spasm of convenience all too typical of Bible thumpers like Mr. Farah and his fellow Christians who gawk at WND, the Apostle’s admonition is swept away by a rather unholy and Kreepy tide of Obama hate.

The Framers established election of senators by state legislators, under which system the nation got the Great Triumvirate (Henry Clay, Daniel Webster and John Calhoun) and thrived. In 1913, progressives, believing that more, and more direct, democracy is always wonderful, got the 17th Amendment ratified. It stipulates popular election of senators, under which system Wisconsin has elected, among others, Joe McCarthy…

His opposition to the amendment is based on the idea that ordinary folks voting for U.S. Senators is a grave threat to the doctrine of separation of powers, an argument his side lost many, many moons ago. But he continued:

…grounding the Senate in state legislatures served the structure of federalism. Giving the states an important role in determining the composition of the federal government gave the states power to resist what has happened since 1913 — the progressive (in two senses) reduction of the states to administrative extensions of the federal government.

Alan Keyes and Tom Delay and other Tea Party conservatives hold similar views, all based not as much on a principled reverence for federalism, but, as Will suggests, more out of a fear that “the people” would not vote sufficiently conservatively.

Whatever one thinks of their argument—there is a point to be made about the crippling effect of large-scale direct democracy—I was struck by what I found posted by Tom Schaller at FiveThirtyEight.

What I want to point out is how patently stupid repealing the 17th Amendment would be for Republicans and conservatives–and yes, tea partiers–based on a simple fact: Democrats have long dominated the control of state legislatures. And they currently enjoy a level of dominance unlike they’ve experienced since the late 1980s and early 1990s.

He posted a graph that seems to confirm his point [click on to enlarge]:

As you can see, more than half of the time, since 1968, Democrats controlled the majority of state legislatures and thus would have had the upper hand in picking our U.S. Senators.

But the most interesting thing about the graph is that at no time in the last 42 years have Republicans controlled a majority of state legislatures. At no time.

Suddenly, I don’t find the idea of repealing the Seventeenth Amendment as troubling as I first thought.

Last Friday, the Globe published a column I wrote about the McCaskill visit last week. The following is an unedited version (the parts deleted for publication are here bracketed and in bold), along with most of the comments from anonymous readers, which demonstrate the enormous separation of opinion on this “issue”:

Tuesday night, Claire McCaskill came all the way to Joplin to answer questions from the public.

The second question of the night came from John Putnam, chairman of the Jasper County Republican Central Committee and our local moral environmentalist, who wasted Senator McCaskill’s time with a question about Obama’s allegedly phantom birth certificate, a phony controversy existing only in the minds of confused conspiracists.

[Surely, a man who is contemplating a run for congress would have something more pressing to ask, like, say, whether the government will continue denying the existence of Roswell aliens or whether Glenn Beck will ever regain his sanity. But, no,] Mr. Putnam chose his moment with Sen. McCaskill to embarrass not only himself, but the entire thinking population of Southwest Missouri.

David Horowitz, a conservative writing about people like Mr. Putnam on Townhall.com, said:

The continuing efforts of a fringe group of conservatives to deny Obama his victory and to lay the basis for the claim that he is not a legitimate president is embarrassing and destructive. The fact that these efforts are being led by Alan Keyes, an unhinged demagogue on the political fringe who lost a senate election to the then unknown Obama by 42 points should be a warning in itself.

Now, Alan Keyes, based on the birth certificate issue, does not think Obama is really the president, referring to him as only an “alleged president.” He also said recently:

Obama is a radical communist. He is going to destroy this country and we are either going to stop him or the United States of America is going to cease to exist.

Whether John Putnam agrees with Mr. Keyes about Obama being a radical communist we don’t know, but we do know now that he agrees with him about the “conspiracy” surrounding Obama’s citizenship,[certifying Mr. Putnam as a member of Horowitz’s “fringe group of conservatives.”]

Senator McCaskill, to her immense credit, tried to be diplomatic, but she eventually and cleverly turned the question around and asked Mr. Putnam in effect: So what would you suggest be done about it, if we found out the birth certificate issue were legitimate?

Which is a good question. What would people who think Obama is not a lawful president do if it could be definitively proven that his fatherland was fictionalized [by farsighted Manchurians? Would they march on the White House and burn a cross on his lawn? Would they kidnap Sasha and Malia and hold them hostage until Barack and Michelle turned over the keys to the presidential limousine?] Would they demand that Obama apologize and allow John McCain to be president on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays?

Michael Shermer, a writer for Scientific American and publisher of Skeptic magazine, said this about people who are infected with conspiracy disease:

There’s no amount of evidence or data that will change somebody’s mind. The more data you present a person, the more they doubt it … Once you’re committed, especially behaviorally committed or financially committed, the more impossible it becomes to change your mind.

WorldNetDaily, a “Christian” news outlet, has been a major instigator of those seeking additional proof that Obama was actually born in Hawaii. On Wednesday, the top four stories on its website were related to the issue, and there was an advertisement for a “Where’s the Birth Certificate” bumper sticker. Ironically and hypocritically there was also an advertisement for a book titled, “Heard Any Gossip?” in which the author claims gossip is a grave sin.

And in a perverse case of loving the sin and hating the sinner, Joseph Farah, founder of WorldNetDaily said:

I’m also calling on all my colleagues, from coast to coast and around the world, not to let this matter drop. Apparently it is a point of real sensitivity with Obama people. Good. Let’s rub it in. Let’s demand he produce the birth certificate at every turn – at every press conference, at every appearance, on every talk show.

John Putnam is obviously practicing what Mr. Farah is preaching,[and regrettably, exposing himself as a fringe conservative makes him a viable candidate in next year’s race for the 7th congressional district.]

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Achilles writes:
President Barack Obama is more of an American than John Putnam and the conservative Republican rift-raft harassing Senator McCaskill at MOSO that night!
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oldman writes:
“John” : John, I have to ask you Sir why didn’t you spend time on the real issues, that being pinning Senator McCaskill down on illegal immigration. John, there are none so blind as those that will not see, I wish you would stop following all the bull plop that some of these so called christian society groups put out and go to work in helping fixing things that need fixing right now. I am so sorry you choose to believe the crap that fear mongers spread creating anarchy and division, this old Republic will not get saved by the likes of you if you continue on this dead end path.
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Ollie writes:
Why and Oh for pity’s sake, you both have asked interesting questions. What I don’t understand is why you don’t seem to be the least bit interested in having them answered. And as for you, Sour grapes, please explain how President Biden is going to advance the Republican agenda.
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Obviously writes:
Dr. Rev. Alan, Well obviously the Federal Elections Committee is just another co-conspirator. Buncha commies!
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writes:
Sour grapes, nothing but sour grapes from the loosing side! I really fear for us as a society when people cling to cow flop like this!
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Rev Dr Alan writes:
Those of you who say there is no birth certificate are missing the point. There is a federal elections commission which investigates every ones paper work before they are allowed to run for president. JoplinFreethinkers.org
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Oh for pity’s sake writes:
So let’s say that for reasons of my own, I want to falsely claim that I was born in Hawaii, when in fact I was not. How on earth, why in the world would the Hawaii State Health Department collude with me in such a fraud? They wouldn’t. They would not even go so far as to say, “We have it but we won’t release it without Oh for pity’s sake authorization.” The State of Hawaii holds Mr. Obama’s birth certificate because that is where he was born. Mr. Obama is eligible for the office of President of the United States. He won the election fair and square. By continuing to shrilly insist that there is a vast conspiracy to place an ineligible person in office, the proponents of this half-baked theory continue to alienate mainstream Americans.
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Why? writes:
I was not born in Missouri, I was born in Indiana while my father served there in the Air Force. The Vital Statistics office of the State of Indiana has the original of my birth certificate. Neither the State of Missouri nor any other state has so much as a copy of my birth certificate. Why would the State of Hawaii maintain a copy of anyone’s birth certificate who was not born there?
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Ollie writes:
David, you were told this once, but apparently it didn’t take. I hate having to repeat myself, so please read this carefully. The document to which you refer, the Certification of Live Birth, is not a legal birth certificate. It does not contain the name or signature of the attending physician or the name of the hospital. Look for yourself: tinyurl.com/csx827 . A REAL Hawaiian birth certificate looks like this: tinyurl.com/68ce9q . The state of Hawaii has acknowledged that they have Obama’s legal birth certificate on file, but it is SEALED pending Obama’s authorization for its release which he has so far refused. No one from the state of Hawaii has said what is on that document — only that they have it. As to your “authoritative sources,” factcheck.org is run by the Annenberg Foundation. That’s the same Annenberg Foundation that gave Bill Ayers $50 million to turn Chicago public schools into communist indoctrination centers with the assistance of none other than Barack Obama. And snopes.com is one guy and his wife, David and Barbara Mikkelson, working out of their house, and they’re both liberal Democrats. Their “exhaustive investigations” amount to nothing more than parroting the spin from Obama’s website. You might as well cite moveon.org and democrats.com as your sources. What’s wrong with America today is gullible people like you who believe whatever they’re told if it comes from someone they think is “cool.” As to you, Andrew, it’s not up to us to prove he is not eligible; it’s up to him to prove that he is. We have pointed out that he has failed to do that. He could put this all to rest Monday by simply authorizing the release of his REAL birth certificate, but he won’t do that. Have you ever even wondered why? Do you even care? Aren’t you the same people who bashed Bush for being “incurious?”
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Maite writes:
While hunting Obama’s Birth certificate, who’s keeping an eye on the Black Helicopters?
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Uncle Jed writes:
This all reminds me of the 8 long years that the libs attacked Bush. His military record, his DRUG USE, he stole the election (twice) his party animal background, his intelligence (even after he graduated with higher grades than Kerry),,, it went on and on and on for 8 years. NOW, they wonder why their NON-AMERICAN Communist president is being attacked. The liberal conspiracy idiots are now reformed,,,, one would guess. (He did NOT have sex with intern, he would not do something like that, you conservative conspiracy person,,, oooopps,, i was wrong,,,, he did)
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Obviously writes:
There has been an elaborate conspiracy and cover-up orchestrated by Obama’s parents, grandparents, various foreigners, state and federal officials, and any number of foreign and domestic bureaucrats to create the superficial appearance that Barack Obama is an American citizen when actually he is not. Having succeeded in their scheme, the conspirators sat back and waited for Obama to decide to run for president. Perfect genius is shown in giving the baby an obviously foreign name. For added giggles, they gave Obama the middle name “Hussein” – betting that the United States would install a dictator in Iraq by that name and then, even later, go to war with that guy, twice! I tell you, it’s genius.
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Andrew Maddock writes:
You people who believe that Obama was not born in the US are just plain stupid. For one thing, if it were true I am sure that the republicain party would have been able to have found out about it well before the election. They spent millions of dollars trying to prove it and failed. So if they could not prove it, why do you people keep trying? I mean, if it were actually true and the republians could not prove it, what does that tell you? They are a bunch of dumbasses and is that the kind of people you want to run the country?
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Lauren Eastman writes:
The birth certificate controversy has been exasperated by Obama’s own Kenyan grandmother. I saw a newsclip of her on TV, where she said, “I was in the room when he was delivered”. Well this lady has never left Kenya. There has never been explanation by the news media if she is deranged or just telling the truth. To further investigate this factual event would finalize this controversy one way or the other.
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JPS writes:
My friends, the day Obama opens (is forced to open) the safe to show his BC is probably the day he can no longer be president, the great scandal of 2009 is approaching….
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David Smith writes:
People, where do you get the idea that his birth certificate is sealed away somewhere? Snopes.com and factcheck.org have both investigated this issue exhaustively, seen the proof, the NOT SEALED AWAY proof, it has been reported on ad nauseum, and people still want to cling to their conspiracy? And people wonder what is wrong with America today.
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Savvy writes:
The COLB produced by factcheck.org has neither a doctor’s signature or the name of a hospital. No one has come forward as witness they were present at Obama’s birth in HI … Obama’s Kenyan grandmother HAS come forward. She claims to have witnessed Obama’s birth in Kenya. If Obama was born overseas, he is not a citizen of the U.S.A., as his mother (18) was not old enough to pass citizenship to a child born overseas, and Obama’s father was not himself a U.S. citizen. If Obama produced his long-form birth certificate, which he claims is in his possession, the matter could be resolved. But Obama has multiple lawfirms fighting the release of his long-form birth certificate and Occidental College records … which might indicate whether Obama applied for admissions or student aid as a foreign student.
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writes:
Duh; Obamas records were sealed for the same reason that George Bush’s records were sealed(D.U.I. records, records of military service, prior financial dealings etc. etc. Oh, and yes even Georges birth records.). Chief Justice of the supreme court John Roberts, a staunch conservative, administered the oath of office to Obama twice. Do you think if there was a way out he would have done this? John McCain was the only candidate not born in this country, and under the original wording of the constitution, he would not have been eligible to run! All of this is just crybaby sour grapes, and as adults you should get over it!
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the informer writes:
Graham is still in La La Land. He doesn’t believe his own eyes.
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Ollie writes:
“Shut up!” they explained.
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James writes:
Citizen grand jury indicts Obama!!!!! Groups in 20 more states reviewing eligibility claims The indictment delivered to state and federal prosecutors yesterday is one of the developments in the dispute over Obama’s eligibility to be president under the U.S. Constitution’s requirement that presidents be “natural born” citizens. http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=93481http://americangrandjury.org/
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old1writes:
Keep calling us names & trying to make us look foolish. We will save America in spite of your attacks. “O” is not a Natural Born American so Keys is right. “O” is not President. He can’t be. His dad was a British Citizen, that makes “O” a British Citizen under British Common Law. This deals with British Law, “O” Sr. and “O” Jr. It has nothing to do with American Law, place of birth, or any paper Hawaii has locked up for what ever reason the have open records sealed. Now “O” being a British Citizen goes against Article 2. Section 1. paragraph 5. of our great Constitution. For further information read the letter John Jay wrote George Washington about adding the Natural Born requirement during the framing of the Constitution. This is all you need to prove “O” is not President. How did Howard Dean overlook this? Where’s Howard today? Anybody seen him?
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Realityis writes:
I agree, you have provided no reason or proof why we shouldnt question his elgibility. Obama is hiding somthing, be careful, if this story pops, your career will be in question.
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writes:
And the crackpots keep on raving, like shar and duh.
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shar writes:
Your article sounds ridiculous to me. “There’s no amount of evidence or data that will change somebody’s mind. The more data you present a person, the more they doubt it.” The fact is that, other than a COLB which is not proof of Obama’s eligibility, no other pertinent data has been offered. All records are sealed up tight so nobody can get any resolve on this issue at all. If Obamba was transparent enough and respectful enough of the American people and its Constitution, he would open up about his past, instead of hiding any evidence that could potentially prove he IS eligible. It is embarassing our country that Obama is do disrespectful of it.
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DUH writes:
If there is nothing to hide, then why is the birth certificate sealed away? Why was the term “African” listed on the birth certificate copy shown the press when the term was negro or black at the time. Why did Obama’s mouthpieces say he did not bow to the Muslim king? The truth is the truth. “The truth shall set you free” is apparently alien to the Obama administration. Same old Chicago thug politics which warmly received the Globe’s ringing endorsement.
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Rev Dr Alan writes:
John Putnam is not representative of this county we should make that very clear. His, and his groups, idea’s are certainly off the wall.